World News Roundup — June 9, 2026 (AM)
A powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake struck Mindanao in the southern Philippines, killing at least 37 and forcing over 20,000 into shelters. In Washington, US-China tensions deepened as the Pentagon designated BYD, Alibaba, and Baidu as military-linked companies, while the ICC’s chief prosecutor was suspended over sexual misconduct claims. The World Cup opened under a cloud as a top Somali referee was denied US entry.
Disaster & Humanitarian
Philippines earthquake — 7.8M, 37 dead, 20,000 displaced. The strongest quake to hit the Philippines in half a century struck off Mindanao’s coast on Monday, collapsing buildings in General Santos and triggering landslides that buried houses in Glan. Nearly 500 were injured. The international airport in General Santos remains closed, and 6,000 school buildings must be inspected before classes can resume. Tsunami waves up to 1.4 meters were measured but caused only minor damage. The US, France, Japan, and New Zealand offered support. [AP / Emirates247]
Ebola toll mounts in eastern DR Congo. The UN reports a “rare, untreatable strain” of Ebola spreading in eastern DR Congo, with a rising death toll and limited treatment options. [UN News]
Afghanistan faces “lost generation of talent” — the UN Security Council heard warnings that restrictions on education and employment under Taliban rule are permanently damaging the country’s human capital. [UN News]
US Politics
Four states hold midterm primaries. Voters went to the polls in Maine, Nevada, South Carolina, and North Dakota as the 2026 midterm cycle ramps up. Maine’s Rep. Platner faces a competitive test in her district. [Al Jazeera]
Trump nominates Todd Blanche as attorney general. The acting AG, already controversial over Epstein files and January 6 handling, now faces a Senate confirmation battle. [Al Jazeera]
Trump booed at Madison Square Garden. The president was loudly jeered at the NBA Finals Game 3 between the Knicks and Spurs, in a striking public reception during one of the year’s biggest sporting events. [CNBC]
Global Economy & Markets
US lists BYD, Alibaba, Baidu as “Chinese military companies.” The Pentagon expanded its list of firms with alleged ties to China’s military, drawing condemnation from Beijing as “discriminatory.” The move comes amid a fragile diplomatic thaw between Washington and Beijing. [Al Jazeera, CNBC]
Asia chip stocks recover as Wall Street bounces back. Chip-linked shares across Asia rebounded after US semiconductor stocks powered the S&P 500 (+0.3%) and Nasdaq (+0.86%) higher on Monday. [CNBC]
BlackRock: AI is changing the rules of investing. The world’s largest asset manager says investors may need to rethink core portfolio principles as artificial intelligence reshapes markets — part of what it calls “mega forces” transforming the investment landscape. [CNBC]
GSK in talks to acquire Nuvalent for $9B+. The deal would be the British pharma giant’s largest acquisition in over a decade, driven by a biotech dealmaking frenzy as drugmakers race to fill pipelines ahead of looming patent cliffs. [CNBC / FT]
Perplexity plans 2028 IPO. The AI search startup aims to go public regardless of what happens to Anthropic or OpenAI, its CEO told CNBC, signaling confidence in standalone growth. [CNBC]
Botswana diamond slump deepens. The diamond-dependent economy is under mounting strain as global demand weakens and production falls, hitting miners and communities on the edge of survival. [Al Jazeera]
World Cup 2026
Somali referee dropped after US denies entry. Award-winning referee Omar Artan was removed from the World Cup roster after US authorities denied him a visa. FIFA confirmed the decision. The US State Department later acknowledged the denial. [Al Jazeera, Sky News]
“Is Trump’s America already ruining the World Cup?” Sky News examines growing international backlash over the tournament’s opening days, including visa denials, political friction, and the host nation’s controversial image under Trump. [Sky News]
International
ICC chief prosecutor Karim Khan suspended. The International Criminal Court’s top prosecutor faces an accusation of sexual harassment. An oversight body voted to suspend him pending investigation. The NYT and Al Jazeera both cover the story, noting it comes at a delicate moment for the court’s legitimacy. [NYT, Al Jazeera]
EU plans additional Russia sanctions. The bloc is preparing to expand its sanctions regime, which has already imposed a cumulative $1.5 trillion hit on the Russian economy since the Ukraine invasion. [Al Jazeera]
UAE weather: dust storms return. Winds hitting 40 km/h swept across the country as seasonal dust storms made a comeback, affecting visibility and air quality. [Emirates247]
In Brief
- UN human rights chief calls for Cuba sanctions to be “lifted immediately.” [Al Jazeera]
- USDA Secretary slams Texas ag chief as “unserious” amid screwworm threat affecting livestock. [CNBC]
- Jim Cramer warns key pillars of the bull market are crumbling. [CNBC]
- US players ready to seize “once in a career” World Cup chance. [Emirates247]
- Progressive Nithya Raman advances to November runoff for LA mayor against incumbent Karen Bass. [CNBC]
- Italian prosecutors to probe Israeli minister Ben-Gvir over flotilla abuse. [Al Jazeera]
- Security Council warns humanitarian toll in Ukraine is worsening. [UN News]
Roundup compiled from the TTRSS NEWS feed. 30 articles from 6 sources summarized; 89 Iran-conflict articles filtered out and left unread.